Renault Kangoo Z.E. EV Charging Cable

A van that actually gets its full rated speed at home

Renault's UK press material for the Kangoo Z.E. 33 gives the onboard charger as 7 kW single phase at 32A on 230 volts. That single word, single, is the whole point: the Kangoo is not quoting a three phase figure it can only reach at a workplace. Plug a 32A lead into an ordinary British home wall box and the van charges at its own maximum with nothing lost.

Very little else on this site can say that. It also means a 16A cable is a real compromise here rather than a sensible saving, because it halves a speed the van can genuinely use.

How long a full charge takes

Each figure is the pack size divided by the power actually drawn, with 13 per cent added for charging losses and the result rounded to the quarter hour. Renault gives the pack as 33 kWh without separating usable from nominal, so the table uses 33 and the real time will be a little shorter. Range was quoted at 170 miles on the NEDC test; a WLTP figure of about 143 miles is quoted elsewhere, and the two are not comparable.

There is no rapid charging of any kind on a Kangoo Z.E. No CHAdeMO, no CCS, unlike the Nissan vans it shares a great deal with. Everything the van ever takes comes through the Type 2 socket, which for a working vehicle makes a spare lead a reasonable thing to keep.

Which length for a Kangoo

The socket is in the nose, centrally, beneath the Renault badge. A central front port is the easiest case there is: it does not mirror, it does not favour a side, and nose-in parking puts it as close to the charge point as it can get.

Vans get parked where they fit rather than where it is convenient, and the Kangoo is 4.3 metres long, or 4.6 as the Maxi. Nose in and 5 metres does the job. Back it up to a wall, or park it on a yard where the charge point is not where you would like it, and 10 metres saves the argument. Park the car where it normally lives, walk the run with a tape, and buy the next size up from what you measure.

One thing to check on an early van

Renault is reported to have changed the inlet on the original 2011 to 2017 Kangoo Z.E. partway through, from Type 1 on the earliest vans to Type 2 after a facelift around late 2013. We have found that in only one source and no exact changeover date, so we are not going to state it as fact. If your van is a pre-2014 22 kWh model rather than the 33 kWh Z.E. 33, look at the socket before you order a Type 2 lead.

How these cables are built

It is made to IEC 62196-2, CE marked, and sealed to IP55 across a -30C to +50C temperature range.

On the three pin side the standard is IEC 62752, with CE marking, IP67 sealing and a -30C to +60C range. Backed by a two year manufacturer's warranty, with free next working day delivery and a 30 day return window.

Related: Renault Zoe EV Charging Cable, and Renault charging cables for every other model we cover.

Renault Kangoo Z.E. charging cable questions

What cable does a Renault Kangoo Z.E. need?

A Type 2 to Type 2 lead at 32A. The van's 7 kW charger is single phase, so a UK home supply delivers the full rated speed and a 32A cable is genuinely worth having.

Is a 16A cable enough for a Kangoo Z.E.?

It will work, but it halves a charge speed the van can actually use. Unlike most cars here, the Kangoo is not limited by the British single phase supply, so the 32A lead pays for itself.

How long does a Kangoo Z.E. 33 take to charge?

Around five and a half hours from empty at 7 kW on the 33 kWh pack. At 3.7 kW on a 16A lead it is closer to ten and a half.

Can a Kangoo Z.E. rapid charge?

No. There is no CHAdeMO and no CCS socket, so it cannot use rapid chargers at all. The Type 2 inlet in the nose is the only way to charge it.